Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Sarah Peck.
“We live in a world of scarcity. Which means we feel like we never have enough.” – Brené Brown
Living in a world of scarcity means that we’re constantly searching for the next thing to fill us up, the next destination or achievement to make us whole. Our world is filled with messages that tell us we don’t have enough space, enough stuff, enough clothes, enough fitness. We’re never skinny enough or pretty enough or good enough or rich enough.
This scarcity model drives consumption and accumulation; it spurs us to want more, to buy things because we think it will fill the void. We press to work harder, to get fitter, to buy more clothes, to acquire more things in the name of filling the hole.
The problem with scarcity, however, is that you can’t fill it or fix it with things.
The answer to scarcity, ironically, isn’t more. It is enough.
What you have is enough. Who you are is enough. As Danielle LaPorte says in her Fire Starter Sessions: “You already have everything you need.”
What about Minimalist Enough?
This cuts both ways, however. As a person with lots of things, and an apartment with hundreds of books, I sometimes feel like my efforts to de-clutter and reduce the number of things that surround me aren’t enough. And the thought begins to creep in: I’m not minimalist enough. I see someone who is minimalist and only has 100 things and the internal voice begins again, “I guess I’m not minimalist… enough.”
These attitudes are pervasive and can race around in my head. I can quickly become overwhelmed with the desire to eliminate stuff, lose weight, be better, do more, achieve….more.
But the idea of minimalism isn’t about reaching a goal, or checking off a box, or reaching a certain destination. To me, minimalism is realizing that what I already have is enough, and that adding clutter to the pile won’t make it any better. And chasing a dream of more minimalism is, ironically, not what I’m after either.
To me, as I breathe out and sigh into the life that I’m living, and find gentler ways to tweak, edit, and refine; I find that recognizing what is important and what is not is the most critical exercise.
Stripping away the excess lets us get to the bones of what really matters. Get to the heart space. Get to the pieces that are important. And that level can be different for different people.
My Modest Minimalist Journey.
I recently conducted an experiment in which I decided to stop buying new clothes for the entire year. (There were two exceptions: shoes and underwear, but only as needed). For an entire year, I lived without buying anything new, on purpose. As a female in a clothes-and-image-centric society, I wanted to see what it was like to live without shopping for a while.
I was always dismayed by the number of female friends that were readily going into debt to maintain their image in public. When I thought about it, $400 outfits (the average price on any feature shopping magazine page) can add up to a lot of money if one were to wear a new outfit every day for a year. (That’s $150,000 just on clothes—who are we kidding?). You might think I’m joking—but to be perfectly honest, I know people who are $20,000 and $30,000 in credit card debt from clothes shopping alone. The image pressures on females (and males!) can be increasingly intense.
Yet over the year, as I experimented in my journey of wearing and re-wearing the same outfits hundreds of times, I also found there were times when I got discouraged—especially when I looked around online and saw things like the Versalette by revolution apparel. I inadvertently compared myself to other people who were doing a better job at buying nothing than I was.
But then I realized: I don’t have to be the best or the most minimalist. I can be minimalist enough. Minimalism isn’t about winning, and it isn’t about a particular achievement. It’s about finding out what matters to you, and getting rid of the peripheral.
Over the course of the year, I thinned out my closet and pared down to a few favorite items. I made over twenty trips to charity with bags of clothes and gently worn shoes that I no longer needed. At one point, I had socks and underwear with holes in them, and I got out my sewing machine and fixed them up. Making old things new again was surprisingly satisfying. Getting rid of all of my extra socks—and just having a few pairs to use each day—actually made my life simpler. The process of getting rid of things reminded me of what I liked—and what mattered.
Over time, I started to become acutely aware of everything that crossed the physical threshold of my front door. The amount of stuff that piled up around me on a daily basis crept into my consciousness, and I’m still surprised by the amount of clutter we let into our lives each day. Every time I brought something new in—mail, letters, books, ideas, shopping bags—I tried to make a conscious effort that the stuff I was bringing with me was valuable, and that I was also taking enough stuff out of the apartment each day to keep my space maintainable.
Untethering from the need to consume was surprisingly easy. It was the attitude change that made the most difference: looking through my things and realizing I already had enough—that I didn’t have to rush out and buy something new to fill a hole or a need—let me breathe again. It was relaxing and reassuring to know what I had was okay. What you are is already good enough.
I learned, slowly, that having excess stuff was giving me a headache, wasting my time and energy, and wasting a lot of money I wanted to focus on eliminating debt.
Over time, I will continue to whittle away at the things I don’t need in order to make space for the things I love. It turns out, all those unnecessary clothes were crowding out the space of the things I loved. I got rid of several boxes and cleared off a space for all of my books—one of my loves. Clearing out, to me, is about reducing the unnecessary clutter in your life to make space for what matters, and finding a balance that lets your soul breathe. It’s about stripping away the things you don’t need so you can focus on what’s important.
Sometimes a subtle attitude shift or a small sacrifice can make a big difference. Like taking the time to appreciate that what you already have is enough. And your effort? It’s enough.
Because stuff isn’t what matters.
What you have is enough. YOU are enough.
***
Sarah Peck is a writer, designer and storyteller.
Nancy McPherson says
I already am a clothes minimalist; one pair of blue jeans at a time that are washed and worn until they almost fall apart. I wear jeans everywhere–from work to church, weddings to funerals. People have adapted to realize that’s just me. I am, however, a horrible collector of what I deem to be “cool stuff” and arts and crafts items. I have a house full of fabric, stained glass-making stuff, a floor loom for rug making, quilting supplies and partially completed quilts, a pottery studio, sewing supplies as well as needlework items. I also love to make fancy cookies and cakes for people (not as a business, but for gifts). I am so overwhelmed by all this stuff! But I am also struggling with letting a lot of it go because I move between the arts as my creative focus changes. My daughters have been helping me clear out what I can and every time a box goes out, I breathe a sigh of relief. I don’t think I’m a hoarder, I just can’t seem to contain my interests! Sigh….
Lois Robords says
I also had a lot of craft items. Some I paid a lot of money for – such as knitting and yarn, crocheting and thread, doll making and fabric, cross stitch and hoop stand, needle punch, polymer clay and books and pasta machine, and quilting. I decided I really wanted to quilt, so I donated my craft items to charity so someone else could enjoy them. I’m not saying it was easy but I’m not going in so many different directions. I bought a good quilting sewing machine (it doesn’t have the embroidery feature) and I am enjoying my quilt making.
Anna Marie Steffenson says
I was in the same boat: I love so many different types of creating. After my children were born I found that if I wanted to ever get anything done, then I had to I cut it down to only working on three projects at a time – and even that was too much! I cut it down again to only one at a time! This was revolutionary for me. I am so much more productive and prolific now. I do not have a dozen half finished projects that are weighing me down and sapping my creativity. I am able to focus all of my creativity in one direction and get it done quickly! And move on – perpetuating more creative energy and ambition.
Focusing my creative interests into a limited category has also been ground breaking. Rather than puttering around in print making, calligraphy, oil, acrylic, sculpture, jewelry making, ceramics, stained glass, glass blowing and every other form of creation that seduces my attention – instead I focus on Watercolor. I deep dived into the discipline a decade ago – and have never come back up for air! I have shifted my focus from a little bit of everything to laser sharp on one very deep discipline. It was so worth it and I have no regrets.
Our family lives very minimally in areas that have no meaning for us. But in the specific areas of our focused attention we live abundantly (i.e. I budget to regularly buy paints and have a wide selection of watercolor tools and maintained fiber arts as a hobby – and my husband has the same for his specific interest.)- and we are happier for it!
So, as another creative, I would encourage you to also embrace minimalism for the increased creative energy and prolificity.
Bonnie Jean says
For my 60th year, I made a goal to give up acquiring All and any more clothes. Since I frequently shopped at thrift stores, restricting to only new would have been meaningless
At first it was a little difficult, saw something I liked, but then had to remind myself that I couldn’t get that item. After a short while, stopped wasting time shopping…Good result.
At the end of that year, was fine, and realized that every challenging goal who obtain, paves the way for an even more challenging goal.
Alex says
I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. Got no option when you’re poor. The only things I buy are secondhand and even that is few and far between. I would love to have some new clothes as at this time I’m only wearing what I wear to work. Its winter too and I have no warm jackets, nor a robe or slippers to put on in the frosty mornings.
Jodi says
Big deal. Those of us who are broke have been doing this our whole lives. I appreciate that this person had a wake up call, but I don’t know ANYONE who spends tens of thousands of dollars yearly on clothes.
kate says
Great article.
I have only brought one gym outfit this year.
I Have work on wearing my oldest clothes first. Till no longer feasible.
I normally shop once a year when I visit family in the city.
I make clothes last the year.
Man do they get a work out.
Now just have to convince hubby. Put the most worn on top and wear.
Amazing your most worn clothes often only have 20 more wears.
Saved lots of cash. I now look at body sharp of bad purchases and hand them on to others they will suit.
ayse says
one bonus benefit of deciding not to buy new cloths is motivation to stay in the same weight (if one is at good weight of course). by the way, why would one need underwear or shoes yearly? one would need to replace them even less frequently..
BW says
Great article. i now live by capsule wardrobes and i’m loving it. After seeing it done on Inside out style blog by imogen, I have cleared out all the clothes I didn’t wear and kept and now match all the pieces i truly love.
Kathleen says
Yes, I agree that what we have is enough…if what we have is Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Only He can fill the voids. Everyone has a God shaped hole in their hearts and nothing else can fill that hole. God created us that way so we would seek a personal relationship with His Son Jesus Christ who died for our sins. Jesus is the bridge we need to get to God so He alone can fill that hole.
Lois Robords says
Amen
Julie says
I do have more clothes than I need, and wish to get rid of more. I keep b garbage bag ready for anything I find I’m not using, at any time. But the other possessions in my life take up far more space, and are harder to organize. My efforts to reduce the stuff have not focused on clothes.
Ginger says
No more “stuff” coming into my house. Planning to start the de-clutter process. Wow, it seems overwhelming when I try to figure out what I can do with the “stuff” without tossing it into a landfill. Yard Sale… Resale Shops here I come. This winter my 15 year old ski pants gave up. I recycled my husband’s 20 year old ski pants, which I’ve been wearing to shovel snow. They’re a bit big, but work fine. Saved me $200. Haven’t purchased any new clothes this year.
Thanks for this great article.
ELF says
I’m new on the minimalist wagon (I’m slowly working my way through every room in the house–regifting and donating at least 10 things from each room) Thank you for bringing it to my attention that I had shifted my mind set and was now in the rat race of trying to keep up with the “minimalist Jones'”. I had “own only essentials” envy!
Though I’ve made countless trips to the local thrift shop to shed my excess possessions, I still wasn’t satisfied…now I see that I was too busy comparing myself to old pros who have been living the ‘lite life” for years.
Thank you for reminding me that my progress is just that–MY progress. Though I have a long way to go, I’ve made leaps and bounds. I can now view seasoned minimalists as mentors and not competitors in the purging process. Thank you for this enlightening attitude adjustment!